Motor vehicles are required to operate in a number of environments that contain many undesirable contaminants, such as dust, dirt, and water that are problematic for internal combustion engines. In extreme environments, these contaminants are ingested into the air cleaner and can result in the air cleaner reaching capacity by the saturation of contaminants well before the scheduled service interval. For example, vehicles operating in the mining sector experience engine problems despite their service intervals being reduced for vehicles.
Known snorkel systems with pre-cleaning technology are typically of the aftermarket type which provide for the collection of debris in collection chambers. These chambers need to be emptied between service intervals and thus do not provide a practical solution to the problem created by incoming, contaminant-laden air. Furthermore, as aftermarket systems, these snorkel designs prohibit integration into the snorkel system without significant modification to the snorkel design and vehicle aesthetics. As the components are after-market, they are not required to conform to the standards of the original equipment manufacturer with respect to such issues as vision constraints, safety and durability requirements.
As in so many areas of vehicle technology there is always room for improvement related to the use and operation of snorkel systems for vehicles that are intended to remove contaminants from the incoming air before reaching the air cleaner of the vehicle's engine.